Luka went outside and walked slowly up the front walk, looking for Abby. The house and street lights left the lawn dappled with competing patches of light and shadow, creating an otherworldly feel to his surroundings as he strained to spot Abby. "Hey". Turning to her voice he could first see the glow of her cigarette before making her out, sitting on a bench nestled among some flower beds in Carter's lawn, and waving him over.

"Sorry if I kept you too long. Carter and I got talking and lost track of time." Luka said, apologetically, as he sat on the opposite side of the bench, and hunching over with his forearms on his knees, turned to look at Abby.

"It's ok. It's a nice evening. It's been relaxing" Abby smiled at Luka. "So what have you guys been talking about? Anything interesting?"

Luka laughed lightly. "Yeah, you know, just arguing over who's going to win the World Series. Usual guy stuff". Abby shot him a glare. Luka grinned broadly at her wordless chastisement. More serious, he assured her, "He seems to be working through things in his own time. I think he'll be okay.

Abby nodded. "That's good. I was concerned." Luka nodded agreement. Abby changed course, "So, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"How have you been?" Luka shrugged the question away nonchalantly. "You and Sam broke up...."Abby left off suggestively.

"Ahh, you know, we were kind of mismatched, I guess. Wanted different things. You might say a 'generation break'."

"'Gap', and, God, you make yourself sound so old."

Luka chuckled. "yeah, maybe I'm getting old." Suddenly he grew serious. "You can't get that time back, either, can you?". The change in tone and expression was so abrupt that Abby swung to look at him with a degree of concern. She barely caught his eye before he looked away, staring into the semi-darkness of the lawn. She watched him for a few seconds with tender concern. He was lost in the brooding silence he pulled around himself habitually. She felt drawn to him then, drawn to the mystery, and had to remind herself that this image he unconsciously projected was as deceptive as it was attractive. She'd gotten to know Luka well enough through the years to see that behind the allure of his sad and dark side he was just a man; imperfect, hurting, occasionally hurtful, sometimes very funny, and often wonderfully caring, but a man, every bit human. She reached out and touched his arm. "You want to talk about it?"

Luka shook himself and turned to her, smiling apologetically. "No, I'm fine. You don't need to worry about my problems too." He nodded toward Carter's house. "Can't save everyone." He winked at her.

"Ok, how about if I promise not to try to save you?" Abby smiled back. "Just lend an ear. That's what friends are for."

Luka looked at her indecisively. "I don't know. Sometimes I just feel like I'm going around in circles. Every time I think I'm getting somewhere I'm right back at square one. All the time I've wasted..."

"Well, maybe if you give Sam time, she'll come around. She's young and probably scared to settle down."

"No, she has her own direction in life that isn't part of mine; though I'm not sure what that is myself. And I'm tired of having to keep trying to figure it out."

"Well, you know what they say: 'Life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved'."

Luka snorted and looked heavenward. "My God."

"Sorry, that was lame."

"Please tell me you didn't find the meaning of life on the back of a coffee mug."

"Hell, yes. Only the one I use is: 'If all else fails, have some chocolate'."

Luka laughed. "It seems to be working for you."

"I thought so."

"Seriously, you must have figured something out. You're doing so well; you seem....I don't know, peaceful, good....happy."

Abby laughed and rolled her eyes with an exaggerated gesture. "What's the world coming to? Abby's doing well."

"I didn't mean it like that" Luka protested.

"Sure." Abby teased. " But, yeah, I think I'm doing all right. I guess you could even say I'm happy. Though I don't think it's so much what's happening out here" she waved her hand broadly, "as in here." She tapped her head. Then laughed, remembering. "I think that one was from you."

Luka brightened and shouldered her gently. "Yeah, and I never imagined that would be such an effective pick-up line." They shared a laugh, old intimacy mingled with current awkwardness, then grew silent for a few seconds until Luka, feeling the need to shake himself of the mood, rose and burst out: "Well, we really should get going."

"Yeah, I guess so", Abby agreed reluctantly, and got up and followed Luka toward the street.